The Story Circle vs The Hero's Journey: Dan Harmon's Simplified Monomyth
Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey has dominated storytelling advice for decades. Seventeen stages, archetypal characters, mythological resonance—it’s the blueprint for everything from Star Wars to The Matrix to Harry Potter. But there’s a problem: it’s complicated. Most writers don’t need a 17-step formula. They need something practical, intuitive, and flexible enough to apply to everything from sitcoms to space operas. Enter Dan Harmon’s Story Circle—an eight-step distillation of Campbell’s monomyth that’s simpler to use, easier to teach, and just as powerful. ...